Synonyms

No known synonym

Name of the disease in English

White diarrhea in suckling calves

The disease in brief

Calves that suckle from their mothers sometimes receive too much milk (calves that suckle twice a day), too fatty breast milk, or milk that may contain toxins, or they drink it too quickly. This results in diarrhea due to milk indigestion. This diarrhea occurs at any age, and can also accompany infectious or parasitic diarrhea.

Clinic & diagnosis

The disease is suspected in calves suckling their mothers, regardless of their age, when the following are found:

-White diarrhea occurring when mother cows are put out to grass or when changing plot or fodder = any condition that increases the mother's milk production or changes its composition (increase in the butterfat content if BEN is too high).

Typical sign of the disease

No description

Pictures

See below

Diagnostic formulas

No description

Differential diagnosis

-VX11 rotavirus calf diarrhea

-Cryptosporidial calf diarrhea VX12

-Mixed diarrhea in the 2nd week of life of the calf:INFO VX12.1

-Diarrhea in the 2nd half of life: information VX23

-Coccidiosis PA20.4

Confirm a suspicion?

This is a problem of nutrition of the mothers which affects the calves. This disease can also accompany infectious or parasitic diarrhea of the calf. Confirmation can consist of ruling out infectious/parasitic diarrhea.

Prognosis and treatment

The treatment of this diarrhea can vary greatly depending on the impact on the general condition of the calf:

1-Spontaneous healing/diet: Milk is stopped for 24 hours at the most; it is advisable to provide the calf with another source of energy, especially if it is cold.

2-Rehydration: Treatment should include control of hydration and acid-base balance; an assessment of this is made in the general condition section:

-Calves that are tonic and have a normal sucking reflex can receive oral rehydration.

-The other calves are perfused: the volume and composition of the perfused liquid are defined either by clinical examination alone or by laboratory evaluation.

3-Oral anti-diarrheal

Prevention

-Provide food transition periods for mother cows

References

No description